ion of elegance and
of ease. He answered that such a time might come.

"It's got to come with me," said Mitchell. "It's comin', and I'd be a
fool to dodge it. Yes, sir, and I'm goin' to have me about a dozen
shirts made. I don't care so much about the coat and pants; I want the
shirts. And I want 'em made as broad as I can fill 'em out, with a
ruffle or two, and as white as chalk. That's the way I want to be
dressed when fellers come to me and ask if I want to hire a man. Bill,
you look like you've made up your mind to do some thin'. What is it? Git
married?"

"I came here with my mind already made up," Milford replied, new lines
seeming to come to the surface of his countenance. "And I'm not going to
change it," he declared, louder of tone, as if he had been debating with
himself. "I'm going to follow the line, and then if something else
comes, all the better."

"What is your line, Bill?"

"Haven't you learned enough not to ask that?"

"Oh, well, but I didn't know but you'd found out there wouldn't be any
harm in tellin' me. We've been working together a good while, and I've
got an interest in you. I've told you what my object is."

"To wear white shirts and to see the sun shine in on you of a morning, I
believe. That's a good enough object."

"I think so, Bill. At least, it won't do nobody no harm. And I tell you
what's a fact: I'd like, after a while, to live in town, so's I could
come out in the country and clar my throat and ask fellers about the
crops. But you always sorter turn up your nose at my object. I wouldn't
at yours. Tell a feller what it is, Bill."

"The idea of every man having an object seems to have become rather
popular in this community," said Milford. "Everybody looks on me with a
sort of suspicion, and this object business comes out of that. You may
not know it, but you've been set as a trap to catch me."

The hired man was genuinely astonished. His mouth flew open, and he
drooled his surprise. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve; he hemmed,
hawed, and grunted. But, after a time, he admitted that his "girl" had
shown the edge of a keen interest in Milford. However, there was nothing
vicious in it. She had never been stirred by a vicious instinct. She was
naturally interested in the man who gave employment to her future
husband. Of course, his object did not amount to much when compared with
Milford's; he was nothing but a hired man, but presidents had been hired
men, and the world could no